LEONARDO DA VINCHI  TOUR

FROM VIENNA TO ROME,  11 DAYS

AUSTRIA – HUNGARY – SLOVENIA - ITALIA

Day 1: Arrival to Vienna. Transfer from airport to your hotel. Free time to relax after long flight.
Vienna is unquestionably one of Europe's great cities, its subtler charms sometimes go overlooked. Visitors who do visit this Hapsburgian playground will discover that Viennese delights come in many forms. The city's cultural treasures, for one, are almost overwhelming in their abundance. Baroque cathedrals mingle with medieval churches, and everywhere is art, music, and more art. Austria's most famous palace, Schönbrunn, was built to rival Versailles, and touring it is like passing through a giant, gilded music box. Vienna's actual music box, the stunning Vienna State Opera, is also unforgettable, and worth visiting even if you can't score tickets for a performance (which can be surprisingly inexpensive). Vienna also has attractions for those with a passion for the outdoors. Boating and water sports take place on the famous Danube, and escape to the verdant pleasures of the Wienerwald is quick and easy. The local cuisine is, fittingly, also rich and delightful. Fine restaurants offer perfectly executed schnitzel, savory goulash, and the decadent Sacher Torte. Or watch dusk melt into evening while devouring a char-grilled sausage at a laid-back wine garden. The fine blend of natural and man-made treasures makes time spent in Vienna both stimulating and uniquely relaxing. Bring your opera glasses and your hiking boots.

Day 2: Vienna – the capital city of Austria (breakfast)
After breakfast departure from the hotel for Vienna City Tour. We will drive you around Vienna’s Ringstrasse, a leafy boulevard around the heart of the city and the location of many impressive buildings, for example the State Opera House, the Hofburg (Imperial Palace), the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History, the Parliament, the Burgtheater, the City Hall and the University. Our guide will show you the most interesting and famous places of Vienna. Afternoon sightseeing  of Habsburg monarchy summer palace – Schonbrunn, Together with its ancillary buildings and extensive park, it is one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria. Scheduled as a listed monument, the whole ensemble, including the palace, the park with its numerous architectural features, fountains and statues and not least the zoo – the oldest of its kind in the world – was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1996. Night in Vienna.

Day 3:  Vienna  – Budapest – the capital city of Hungary (breakfast)
After breakfast departure to Budapest (approx. 280 km, 3,5 hours). Upon arrival to the City of Budapest, check-in at hotel. Afternoon is reserved for City Tour. You will see the impressive neo-gotic house of Parliament. You cross the Danube on the Margaret-bridge (Margaret island) and drive to the Royal castle on the Buda side, where you visit the Fishermens' bastion and the Matthias church. After the Citadel you cross Elisabet-bridge and drive the City-park towards Heroes' square. Passing by the Opera and St. Stephen's basilica. After the city tour transfer to your hotel and free time.

BUDAPEST - Two amazing cities in one.
The famed Danube River flows seamlessly through Hungary’s capital, which claims a rich and varied history dating back almost 2,000 years. The city got its name as late as 1873, when three separate entities– Pest, Buda, and Obuda (“Old Buda") – merged. Pest is the commercial center of the city and flatter than its hilly counterpart across the river, Buda. There are shops and restaurants offering international and traditional Hungarian fare (think paprika-infused chicken and beef and succulent strudel for dessert) and many historic sites. Stroll down scenic Andrassy Avenue and visit the Hungarian State Opera House, a veritable jewel-box built in the neo-Renaissance and Baroque styles. Budapest is also known for its famous restorative thermal baths, havens for Hungarians and tourists alike. The very affordable Szechenyi Bath is located in the attractive City Park. Buda, on the other side of the Danube River, offers a breathtaking view of the stately Hungarian Parliament, built in the Gothic Revival style. Go there especially at night, when the city is glittering in the background.

Day 4: Budapest – Ljubljana – the capital city of Slovenia (breakfast)
Breakfast. Free time for exploration of the Budapest by your own until 14.00. Then afternoon departure to Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia.( approx 460km, 4.5 hours). Check in at hotel and overnight in Ljubljana.

LJUBLJANA - The young capital in the new Europe
In the Slovene capital of Ljubljana, Central European flair mixes with southern zest for life. Even though Ljubljana, located along the Save and Ljubljanica rivers, is not one of Europe's largest capitals, it possesses a unique appeal. The city is especially lively along those rivers, where the numerous cafes, pubs, and bars seem to guarantee pleasant evenings in this lively and cheerful city. The city's young artists and galleries also lend the city a special charm; those interested in the alternative art scene should definitely visit the squatters' compound occupying the former barracks known as Metelkova. Tolerated by the city, it has enabled the development of an alternative culture in Slovenia. Anyone with a soft spot for the Middle Ages should visit the city's castle, which towers over the city center.

Day 5 : Ljubljana – Bled – Ljubljana (breakfast)
After breakfast visit the attractions of Ljubljana known already from the Roman era as the meeting point of Roman, Germanic and Slavic nations. Afternoon walk in the old part of the city where your local guide will show you Opera house, Cathedral, National museum and Three Bridges Square. Then guide will take you along river Ljubljanica, which is full of bars and restaurants and you will ride funicular to Ljubljana Castle and see the city from above. Then we will drive to Bled ( approx 50 km, 30min).

Visit of Bled, its medieval castle, which stands firmly and proudly high on the cliff above the lake. From there one has a beautiful view over the lake and the surrounding mountain peaks. You can try the unique experience of making a boat trip to the island in the middle of the lake. It’s one of the nicest sightseeing places in Slovenia. We will return to Ljubljana in late afternoon. Free time for shopping for designer clothes and other things.

Day 6: Ljubljana – Postojna Cave – Lipica – Portoroz (Adriatic Seaside Resort) (breakfast)
Breakfast. Drive to Postojna cave and visit one of the bigest caves in Europe. Cave in which you enter by train is full of stalagnites and stalactites and other karst wonders. But the biggest atraction is Human Fish, an animal which lives only in this cave and nowhere else. After visiting cave short drive to Predjama Castle, situated in front of another cave which is connected to Postojna cave. Predjama Castle is considered one of the best medieval castles in Slovenia. After that we’ll proceed our tour to Lipica which is world recognized by its horses. Lipizzaners have been called the finest riding horses in the world. They are very intelligent, sociable horses. Their form is robust and graceful. Six families with 16 ancestors can be traced back to the early 18th century, and their pedigrees read like those of medieval royalty. Then we drive to seaside resort on Adriatic Sea Portoroz. Free time to stroll along the beach to beautiful medieval city of Piran (20 minutes walk) which is situated on peninsula and try the best fish restaurants. In the evening play in casino which is close to your hotel.

Day 7: Portoroz - Venice (breakfast)
After breakfast departure to Venice ( approx 220 km, 2 hours) – the city of romance.
Enjoy a walk through a labyrinth of streets and narrow passageways in the old artisans quarters of Venice and listen to numerous stories of the illustrious merchants and their acts of cruelty. During this walk, you'll see some of the oldest houses in Venice, quaint picturesque bridges and palaces, an old prison for tax evaders and learn about how life used to be in Venice and how life is today for the modern day Venetians. Enjoy an in-depth tour of St. Marks Basilica, a highlights tour of the Doges Palace which will include crossing the bridge of sites, and as a grand finale cruise along the main street of Venice - The Grand Canal. Night in Venice.

VENICE - Floods of Romance
The mere mention of Venice immediately conjures romantic images: quaint scenes of lovers on gondolas, slowly drifting down a tranquil canal. In reality, these fabled waterways are often polluted, flooding, traversed by commuters and tourists on modern waterbuses, and yes, quite lovely and astonishing. Experiencing a city without cars will be a new adventure for most visitors -- Venice is the largest car-free zone in Europe! There are plenty of connecting streets or footbridges for those who avoid using boats. Of course, there is more to Venice than just the canals. This city has a rich and remarkably complex history; in the past, it was not only a city, it was the Republic of Venice, an independent state and a pivotal center of international trade, which tended to complicate its relations with other bodies. Now that this remarkable city has joined Italy (more than 200 years ago), it continues to charm visitors with its lovely architecture, music, exuberant Carnival, and world-famous Biennale art exhibition. However, you might have to act fast – after all, the city is sinking, and an alarming number of Venetians have ended up with water in their living rooms.

Day 8: Venice  - Florence (breakfast)
After breakfast  free to discover the narrow streets of Venice.
In the afternoon departure to Florence ( approx 260 km, 3.5 hours). Night at hotel in Florence.

FLORENCE - A Kaleidoscope of Art
While Rome entices with its majestic monuments and big city grandeur, Florence captivates visitors in an entirely different way. This enchanting northern city is a maze of cobble-stoned medieval streets and picturesque red-roofed buildings where the Renaissance feels remarkably recent --or maybe just ever-present. This charming setting is virtually packed with landmarks, stories, and above all, art. Florence is the home of countless works by Renaissance artists; the famous Uffizi Gallery houses paintings by Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Caravaggio, to name just a few, while Michelangelo’s magnificent David stands only a few blocks away. So vast is Florence's collection of artworks that some overstimulated visitors actually succumb to the dizzying madness known as the Stendhal Syndrome. Of course, if the art becomes too overwhelming, Florence does offer other pleasures. Even a casual walk through the streets of Florence is a chance to enjoy lovely scenery and beautiful old churches. Tuscan cuisine is famous for its delicious simplicity, and excellent wine and espresso are in abundance. Like the canvasses and sculptures filling the museums here, Florence is itself a work of art.

Day 9: Florence – Rome – the capital city of Italy (breakfast)
After breakfast visit the attracations of Florence: Duomo inside/outside (the only church in Florence with a free entrance), Battistero just outside to visit its famous bronze gates, Accademia to see the original David by Michelangelo, Santa Croce convent where Michelangelo, Galileo and other Italian glories are buried, stop for a light lunch in a local trattoria if requested (not included)
Uffizi painting gallery, Signoria square and Old Bridge area. In the afternoon departure to Rome. ( approx 285 km, 3 hours). Night in Rome.

ROME - Empire’s Worth of History, Food, Civilization, and Catholicism
Italy’s capital is enormous, sometimes bewildering, often stunning and exhilarating. What else could one expect from a city that once ran a vast empire and now contains an entire separate nation, the heart of a major religion, within its borders? Though the empire crumbled long ago, the city is constantly vibrant. Standing in the city center by the Forum, it’s easy to feel that you’re living inside a giant postcard, with crumbling ruins on one side and the commanding sight of the ancient Colosseum rising above the rooftops on the other. The evidence of more recent history is also omnipresent here; most spectacularly in Vatican City, where people pour into St. Peter’s Basilica and Square and the famous Vatican Museums to worship, gawk, and wonder at everything from the Pope to the Sistine Chapel. However, though aged sights are abundant in Rome, the city is anything but elderly, and it is certainly not tired. The fashion is high-class here, the shopping opportunities countless, the cuisine delicious, the gelato heavenly, and the traffic absolutely ferocious, in both speed and volume. If you want a fast-paced day of historical sightseeing or just a slow afternoon with a cappuccino, Rome offers both and everything in between.

Day 10: Rome (breakfast)
After breakfast we’ll visit busy city with an enormous number of monuments, churches and squares. We’ll take tour tosee the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps,the Pantheon, the Sistine Chapel and the famous Trevi Fountain. When it comes to churches, there is one must see – St Peter's Basilica in Vatican, which is the largest church in the world and the ultimate symbol of Catholicism. Afternoon free to see some museums or do some shooping.

Day 11: Rome (breakfast)
Breakfast. Transfer to airport. End of tour.

Price per person in double room : on request

Price includes:

10 nights in twin rooms based on breakfast
airconditioned car/bus
local guide
all transfers and tours as per program

Price does not include:

entrance fees
personal costs
international flights
all meals except breakfasts
tips for local guide and driver